Glossy lips start in Hawaii

The last time Bare Escentuals CEO Leslie Blodgett was in town, same time last year, Sephora's Ala Moana store director Jeannie Higa put in her request for a color specific for Hawaii's women.

The result, "Kanani," the color of lilikoi and sunshine, part of Bare Escentuals' collection of "Buxom Lips" plumping lip glosses, debuted over the weekend when Blodgett returned to show off the company's holiday line, including the Classic Rock Collection ($59) of full-face color minerals infused with diamond powder.

Only 1,000 tubes of "Kanani" will be available, exclusive to Hawaii, through the end of the year, before going into wider release next spring.

"It was inspired by flower petals and looks great on Asian skin and in bright sunlight," said Blodgett, who, in seven years, has taken Bare Escentuals from a national QVC phenomenon to a global one focused on mineral, rather than liquid, foundation and makeup.

ACCOMPANYING Blodgett during weekend events at Sephora and Centerstage was Bare Escentuals' Hawaii-born international makeup artist Bravon Pascua, who has worked with celebrities such as Janet Jackson, Demi Moore and Courtney Cox, and regularly promotes Bare Escentuals for QVC Japan, the U.K. and Germany, and the GS Home Shopping Network in Korea.

Pascua worked as a model from the age of 10 in Japan, where he grew up watching makeup artists at work.

"They put me in so many different outlandish things, and I really had bad skin, very sensitive skin that would react to the cosmetics they put on me. But when you're getting paid for it, you have to suck it up."

He said he was happy to come across Bare Escentuals' bare minerals, which he says helped to improve his skin.

After joining the company seven years ago, he helped launch the brand in Japan, but he says word-of-mouth recommendations continue to be the company's strength.

"One person will tell 10 to 12 of her friends," he said. "We do a lot of research, and even with QVC, women tell us their friends told them about it."

Sephora coming to Pearlridge

The wait is almost over for those on the Leeward side eager for access to the ultimate beauty playground. Sephora will open its second Hawaii location at Pearlridge Center Uptown, second level, on Nov. 16.

Sephora Pearlridge, just like the Ala Moana flagship store, will offer sampling of more than 15,000 products from more than 200 brands, spread in open displays over 5,815 square feet.

Among brands carried are trendy makeup lines including Make Up For Ever, Stila and Nars; as well as high-performance skincare and cosmeceutical lines like Cosmedicine, N.V. Perricone, Fresh and Bliss; select fragrance offerings from Pink Sugar, Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs, YSL and Fracas; and specialty hair care lines like Oscar Blandi and Ojon; and Sephora brand fragrance, makeup, skincare, bath and body products, tools and accessories.

A percentage of opening-day sales will be donated to the Hawaii Foodbank.